Soul's End
by Sharpedge
Summary: A Hunter: The Reckoning fiction. Vampire turf wars leave a Hunter with a life that is changed forever.
1. Chapter 1

  
    January 2nd   
    David Coleridge paced up and down the living room, his laden white trench coat sweeping this way and that. He gritted his teeth.     "Shit," he said for what seemed to John Baker like the hundredth time. "Where in the hell is she?" he gave up and slumped into the couch in front of the T.V.   
    "Calm down man." said John shaking his head.   
    "Jesus!" David's fist came slamming down on the arm of the couch. "I should've known better, now those bastards have got to her!" He took another nervous glance out of the front window. "Fuck!" He shouted.     Mew, his cat, worried by Davids agitated nature took this as the last straw and bolted from the room. David sighed, got up and went to draw the curtains. Just as he did so the sports car he had seen hanging around the previous night screamed up outside the house. The driver side door burst open and two women, both covered in blood, slumped out onto the pavement.     "Oh god, Isla!" exclaimed David running for the front door.     John sprang to his feet and followed. The two women had made it to the front door. Isla appeared to be unconscious and the other woman, a tall brunette, lost her footing and fell just as David opened the door. Ignoring her he rushed to catch Isla and cradled her in his arms as he scoured her body for wounds.     "Help her." He said gesturing to the other woman. He tried to stifle panic when he found no pulse, then when he went to check on the other side of her neck, he saw them. Bite marks. He closed his eyes and felt a wave of clarity wash through him. When he opened his eyes he could take in every detail of Isla's body.   
  
    In a way, it was like seeing her for the first time. He could make out every line and contour, every strand of hair. He could have wept at her beauty but instead he found his eyes drawn to her mouth. He could clearly see a pair of newly grown fangs, glinting almost mockingly in the moonlight. As quickly as the clarity had come it was smashed into a thousand pieces as David felt his mind crumbling beneath the enormity of what he had just seen. He threw his head to the sky, trying to block the image from his mind. Instead, he screamed. John watched, feeling his friend's pain as he too realised what the women were. Lights flipped on in windows all around the street but David didn't seem to care. He looked down at Isla, knowing now that she was worse then dead.   
    "What…" The question died in John's throat as David swept Isla into his arms and carried her through the door towards the staircase.   
  
    John looked down at the vampire beneath him and his eyes narrowed. He picked her up and carried her into the living room, hurling her limp body onto the couch. He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to take his sword and slice off her pretty head just for being what she was. She could still prove useful though, and if she was the one that had turned Isla then it was David who deserved the chance for revenge. He went and fetched two bowls of hot water and a couple of towels. He left one set downstairs and the other he took to Davids room. David had laid Isla carefully on his bed and closed all the curtains. He seemed to have regained some of his composure and spoke in an even tone.   
    "Thanks," he whispered gratefully accepting the bowl from John's hands.   
    "This isn't right." John's grave statement didn't seem to register in David who had begun to wipe the blood away from Isla's skin and garments.   
    "I'm gonna need some new clothes for her," he said. "They're in the airing cupboard in the hallway."   
    "All right," sighed John. He bought the clothes back into the room. "What shall we do with the other one?" he asked.   
    "Whatever the hell you want," replied David in a worryingly calm voice. For the first time he looked over his shoulder. "Could you give us a minute please?"     John nodded, closed the door, and pounded back downstairs pulling his Berretta from his flowing black coat. The nameless girl was still flopped comatose on the couch and John had time to take in a few of her features. He realised for the first time that she was very attractive. It was a weird feeling to look at her, realising the beauty of her body, yet being nauseated by the very knowledge that she was not right. He examined her body and found two automatic pistols, which he confiscated, and an I.D. card that proclaimed her name to be simply 'Mercury'. He washed her with one hand, and the other hand kept his Beretta pointed straight at her skull.   
  
    David didn't want to believe it was real. He had only just begun to come to terms with his new mission. He had, despite his better scientific judgement, acknowledged the existence of creatures such as ghosts, werewolves and even vampires. But this was too much. When he had gone into battle against the monsters he had kept sane and level headed because he always had a safe place to retreat to inside his head. He could go to this place and Isla would be there. He could feel her touch, hear her reassure him, but now as he cleaned away the blood from her lips he felt that safe place rotting, falling away, becoming a torture chamber. His mind screamed at him as he washed, screamed at him that she should not exist, that she had no right to exist. Inwardly he screamed back.   
  
    After changing her into a clean set of clothes he rested her carefully back on the bed, his mind asking question after question he knew he could not answer. What would she do when she woke up? Would she try to kill him and John? Would she remember who he was? He was broken from this revere by the sound of two sets of voices from downstairs. His hand reached inside his coat and undid the latches that secured his sword in place one by one. He sat back on the chair beside the bed taking in a deep breath and listened to the voices. One of them was John's, the other, clearly female. In a heartbeat he was up from the chair and through the bedroom door. He made no effort to disguise his decent down the stairs as he pulled the sword from his coat.   
  
    The living room door burst open and David was framed, wild eyed, in the doorway. His gaze fixed on the woman who was now sitting upright facing John and he advanced toward her, sword held out. She looked fairly unimpressed.   
    "Who are you?" David growled, "and what the _hell_ did you do to Isla?"   
    "Look…" she began.   
    "Answer the question!"   
    "Which one?" she said, a mildly amused smile on her face. John pulled back the hammer on his Berretta and David cut at the air in front of her.   
    "A fucking vampire," spat John, "playing fucking vampire games. Answer both the god-damn questions!" The woman rolled her eyes.   
    "Why do I put up with this?" she murmured. She looked up from David's eyes to John's.     "All right!" she said. "As my card you have there says, the name's Mercury."   
    "Just Mercury?" asked David.   
    "Yep." David lowered his sword and sat in the chair opposite her, his initial fire sputtering under her unwavering gaze.   
    "What have you done to Isla?" he whispered.   
    "Hah!" Mercury leant back in her chair and crossed her legs. "That's the thanks I get I suppose." She shook her head. "I didn't turn your girlfriend, Lacutus did."   
    "Who?"   
    "You were there at the gang fight outside the B.M.W. show room, right? That was my gang and Lacutus' gang."   
    "And your gang…?"   
    "Lost. I'm the only survivor." Her gaze dropped to the floor for a moment, then she looked back up. "I rescued Isla from Lacutus and brought her here."   
    "How did you know where I lived?"   
    "Well, you haven't exactly been subtle in your little adventures have you? You've become quite the celebrity among certain circles." John shook his head.   
    "This is bullshit. How do we know you're not lying?" Mercury looked vaguely amused again.   
    "I'll be frank gentlemen," she raised her hand and began to examine one of her razor sharp nails. "In the time it takes for you to fire that pea shooter of yours, John," she licked her lips, "I could have been over and gouged out your friends throat and still been able to take my time savouring it." John snarled and flicked off the safety.   
    "You aren't exactly winning us over," sighed David.   
    "I shouldn't have to!" snapped Mercury. "I saved your girlfriend from the Tremere clan!" her eyes narrowed. "Knowing her to be the loved of a Hunter, they would have used her to play with you like a foolish puppet!" David's gaze dropped and Mercury added softly. "And it would have worked to a tee would it not?" David didn't reply but gestured for John to lower his weapon, which he did so begrudgingly.     "Come," said Mercury standing, "let us go to her." As if galvanised into action once more, David stood and led Mercury to his room upstairs. John followed, his eyes taking in every move Mercury made, wishing she'd try something stupid.   
  
    They reached David's room and Mercury shook her head disapprovingly. "You should bind her."   
    "Bind her?" said a shocked David.   
    "Yes," sighed Mercury as if she had explained this a thousand times. "When she awakens she will have the hunger. She may go out of control." David looked at her for a moment. "Bind her," repeated Mercury revealing her sharp fangs for the first time. John threw his hands up in the air and left the room, heading for the garage. David returned to his position at Isla's side. Mercury spoke up again. "When she wakes, she will need to feed."   
    "That's not a problem," replied David. "If it comes to that, she can feed on me."   
    "She may not know when to stop," warned Mercury with an uncaring sigh.   
    "She'll stop," David nodded. "When somebody becomes a Vampire," he began, "does their personality change?"   
    "Not really."   
    "Will she remember who I am?"   
    "Of course."   
  
    David reached out and stroked her forehead. "She's so cold," he murmured.   
    "I'm going for a shower," said Mercury, appearing to ignore his comment.   
    "Uh, sure," replied David. "Isla's spare clothes are in the airing cupboard. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you borrowing them." The vampire turned to leave the room.     "Mercury." David had stood up and was looking at her with a pained expression. "Thanks, thanks for saving Isla." Without acknowledging him she turned again and left. A few seconds later he heard the shower being switched on.   
  
    Meanwhile, John returned with some rope. David accepted it with thanks and began to tie Isla's limbs to the bed head and posts.   
    "I take it our other guest is in the shower?" John asked.   
    "Uh huh."   
    "Listen David, I can tolerate Isla being here. It's not her fault and, besides she's your Girl friend." He walked over and parted the curtains slightly, looking out onto the peaceful night. "But I won't trust 'Mercury'." He turned around, closing the curtain again. "She's poison, man. Who knows how many years she's been a vamp?" David didn't answer.     "For the love of God, she kills people." Still no answer. John turned around again. "Hello Mr. Brick wall, perhaps you might listen to what I'm saying," he said in an irritated tone. David shook his head.   
    "Sorry John. I just, I can't…"   
    "S'alright," said John in clipped tones. He left the window and walked back to the door. "I'm gonna go keep watch. Call me if anything changes."   
    "Um, John?"   
    "Yeah."   
    "Could you feed Mew please? He should have been fed a couple of hours ago."   
    "Sure."   
    "Thanks." On the way out of the room, John brushed past Mercury going in. Both avoided the others gaze.   
    "She'll wake up soon," said Mercury matter of factly as she walked into the bedroom.   
    "Could you leave me with her?" asked David. Mercury shrugged and walked out again.   
  
    David watched Isla for what seemed like an eternity, wondering what was going on in her head. His mind went back to the day they first met, lunchtime in the park. She'd only been working at the lab a day. He walked over to her, asked her what she was reading. They had spent the rest of the day in that park together. David smiled at the cover story he had used to get them both out of trouble the next day. He'd had difficulty concentrating on his work after that. His head was filled with one thing. Her.   
  
    For over two years since then they had been inseparable. David had always believed in destiny and soul mates, but never before had he felt this way about anyone and when he looked into her eyes as they sat together under that tree, he had known she felt the same. She'd always been independent, of course, she still had her own house (though she spent most of her time at his) but that was what made her special. That day before new years, he had tried to explain what he was to her. It had all come out wrong and she had left, dazed and confused. Now she had come back to him and he knew all too well what she was.   
  
    After hours of watching, David saw her eyes flutter open. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could she pierced the air with a soul-destroying scream. David tried to calm her down but on it went until Mercury stepped into the room. Confused, David gestured with his arm.   
    "Leave us alone. Get out!" She turned and left. Isla started to scream again. David buried his face in his hands and called Mercury back in. The screaming subsided. David growled in frustration and, pulling his sword, brought the hilt slamming into his bedroom mirror behind him. It cracked and fell into innumerable pieces on the bedroom floor. Isla appeared to calm down a little more. David looked up at Mercury imploringly. "Why does she scream?"   
    "She does not know what she is."   
    "Yet you bring her comfort?"   
    "Yes."   
    "Why?" Mercury was about to answer when a weak voice spoke.   
    "David?" David turned back to Isla and knelt beside her. She looked up at him and he had to suppress tears that were screaming to be let out as he saw the emptiness in her gaze. She whispered to him, revealing sharp, long fangs as she spoke. They somehow seemed longer then before.     "David…I…I'm hungry."     Without a word David rolled down his jumper, exposing his neck, and leant down near her lips. She had kissed him many times before, but this was a kiss of the darkest order. Bound within it was a wild pleasure he had never experienced, and the most excruciating pain he had ever felt. David closed his eyes, and she drank.   
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

  


Chapter 2

  
    January 6th   
  
    "A werewolf." John shook his head. "Man, I can't believe we fought a werewolf! In Black Springs for God's sake."   
  
    David, who was staring out of the window at the setting sun replied, "Vampires exist. Is it really such a stretch of the imagination after knowing that truth?"   
  
    John considered this for a moment. Then shook his head. "Speaking of Vampires, you're beginning to behave like one yourself. You sleep with them in the basement all day, you hardly eat, hell, today must be the first time you've got up in time to see the sun at all."   
  
    "I know."   
  
    "It worries me, man."   
  
    "I assure you, the symptoms you describe are not due to a vampiric state of mind. They are due to an all too human one." David walked over to the table and ran his hand over the soft fur of Mew, who was lying on the table, enjoying the last dregs of evening light. The cat purred appreciatively.   
  
    "So what's up?" asked John. "Last night when we dealt with that werewolf guy, both girls fought alongside us, even that Mercury bitch." He looked over towards the basement door with distaste. "They act as if nothing's going on." He shook his head. "But we're Hunters David, it's our job to stop things like them."   
  
    Now David shook his head. "What crime has Isla committed?" he demanded. "Huh?" John opened his mouth to reply but David cut over him. "None."   
  
    "Yeah but…"   
  
    "She hasn't killed anyone, she's only fed on me…"   
  
    "I didn't say she had committed a crime," said John raising his voice, "But Mercury goes out every night and it's bloody obvious what she does." David, unable to hold John's gaze, looked away. John continued, "It can't go on like this. I can't allow her to do it any longer." John looked up and out of the window, cursing the setting sun. When David remained silent he slammed his fist into the worktop and shouted, "What the hell happened to those oh-so-perfect morals I heard you were carrying around? How can you harbour this…this," John pointed an enraged finger at the basement door. "Animal?"   
  
    "I can't dammit!" cried David. "That's why I'm…I'm…" he was cut short by the sound of the basement door opening and buried his face in his hands, taking a deep breath. By the time Mercury entered the kitchen he was fairly composed. She came and sat at the opposite end of the table. Mew bristled. "What's up little guy?" asked David. Mew made a displeased sound and spat at Mercury before rushing for his cat flap and shooting through it. David gave Mercury a questioning look.   
  
    She shrugged. "It doesn't seem to like me," she said looking distractedly at the newborn night.   
  
    "How are you today, Mercury?" asked David, standing and walking over to the sink. He noticed how John had tensed up when Mercury had entered the room and was now staring fixedly at a crack in the wall opposite.   
  
    "Fine," replied Mercury. David poured himself a glass of water and as he began to gulp it down he heard a voice behind him. "You look thirsty."   
  
    David turned to see Isla emerging from the basement door, a small smile on her face. David's heart missed a beat as he watched her step out from the basement. He had always been captivated by her stunning beauty, but as she moved out into the night he was speechless. Her beauty had been permeated by something else. It was as if the essence of the dark was now a part of her. It moved with her, enhancing every movement and gesture, yet it felt somehow wrong and he had to look down into his glass to avoid crying out. He heard her walk nearer to him and forced himself to look up. She smiled again and planted a kiss on his cheek. He forced a smile and inwardly winced at how false it must have seemed. She didn't seem to register and took his hand in hers.   
  
    David was no stranger to her cold touch now. He had slept, curled up with her in the basement for many days. He remembered the first night when she had been so afraid of what she had become. He had told her that his promises hadn't changed, that he'd stay with her and protect her and that none would touch her while he drew breath. He promised that he would always be there. She had held him and almost crushed his ribs with a new unnatural strength. Things had changed. He knew that as he watched her while she slept. She didn't breathe anymore. She didn't stir in her sleep or smile at her dreams, she wasn't Isla anymore. He had to get out after that, and had escaped the basement to weep openly in the cold sunlight. Other then a few short moments like that one, he had never left her side since the night she was turned. Every second had been a living hell. As a scientist, he knew that he could not psychologically cope with the conflicting feelings he felt in her presence for much longer. Harrowing guilt, torturing sorrow and utter revulsion mixed with profound and eternal love. He knew he was going mad.   
  
    Again and again he tried to tell himself that she wasn't Isla, that Isla had died on that night at the hands of a vampire lord. Yet here she stood, his hand in hers, a smile on her lips. Her gaze gave him the greatest joy, yet sickened him to his stomach. He wondered why God or whoever his 'benefactor' was, had picked now, of all times, to open his eyes and make him abhor the monster within her. Then again, if he had not known what she was, he would have taken her to a hospital and she would have died screaming the following morning as the sun flayed her alive. Perhaps, he thought as she spoke, it would have been better that way. "Let's go out tonight," she said beaming at him. "Yeah," said David, staring at the fangs in her perfect mouth. "Why not?"   
  
    David didn't think they'd be going to the Metz, it held too many memories for him. But Isla had whispered to him as she rode on the back of his bike and they'd headed there anyway. Mercury followed in her Ferrari and John tailed her carefully on his own bike. Instead of scrutinising her like a lab animal, David had tried to get to know Mercury a little. He had found the origin of her odd accent (she had grown up in France) and came to know that she was over one hundred and sixty five years old, being turned sometime in 1835. Other then that he couldn't really glean much from her. Her personality seemed to be lost under the years of emotional fog. It was clear however, that she had plenty of resources, and wasn't afraid to use them. Her love of fast cars and new clothes was the only thing he could really define her with. He vowed that he would crack her shell someday. Another shell he would have to crack was that belonging to Ronan Gibbs, an ambulance driver who had been imbued at the gang fight and contacted David afterwards. Though he had accompanied the group on a couple of leads, he had turned down the offer to come out with them tonight. David understood the poor guy had big family problems. It seemed that everyone was going through the wringer at the moment.   
  
    They pulled up outside the Metz and David couldn't help gazing over at the park to the spot where he and Isla had first met. He turned to speak to her but she was already walking through the Metz' main doors with Mercury. John walked over to him. "C'mon, man!" he said slapping David on the shoulder. "I know this shit's hurtin' but just bare it for now and have a little fun." David shook his head and smiled, recalling John's tales of his exploits with a woman from Damascus he had met at black springs. Though she couldn't go out with John tonight (Damascus was a fair few miles a way) he was still in a pretty good mood after his encounter. "Listen John," whispered David. "We have to remember our duty." John nodded as David continued. "If there are any of them in there, we have to do something about it."   
  
    "Agreed," said John. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."   
  
    David walked inside to see that the girls had already selected a table and were attracting a lot of attention from the surrounding patrons. He was well known in this part of town and most people knew better then to try and hit on Isla while he was around. Mercury was a different matter however. As far as the bar's customers were concerned, she was new sport. If only they could have seen through her eyes, they would probably have been amused by the irony of that assumption. A cursory scan of the bar revealed that there were no strangers that might be posing as things they weren't. David strolled over to the bar nodding to various friends and acquaintances. He ordered a bottle of Bud' and, resisting the knee –jerk reaction to get Isla her usual Bloody Mary, he retired to the table. A couple of seconds later John joined them, resisting the temptation offered by several female students. "God, the hormones," smiled David, "I'm getting too old for this place, hell, I lecture some of these kids!"   
  
    "Aww," mocked Isla. "Don't be so boring!"   
  
    David frowned for a second then turned to John, the expression disappearing as if it had never been there. "So how come you aren't on the pull tonight?"   
  
    "Oh, I'm spoken for man. You know me."   
  
    "You're gonna see Cherry again?"   
  
    "Yep," said John, a huge grin on his face. "Well," he said. "Best get started." He downed his vodka.   
  
    "Jeez man!" exclaimed David. "If you aren't on the pull what are you knocking 'em back for?"   
  
    John's grin only got bigger as he turned back to David. "It's karaoke night tonight," he said.   
  
    "Oh no." David shook his head. "Oh no, no way man, you're not…"   
  
    John nodded slowly. "What's wrong?" asked Isla who had just finished some sort of hushed discussion with Mercury.   
  
    "John's gonna…" David pointed at the microphone on the stage.   
  
    Isla covered her mouth. "No way!" she said.   
  
    "Oh you better believe it people," laughed John. He got up and went off to get another Vodka. Isla giggled and Mercury smirked at some sort of in-joke. David didn't bother asking of it and sat back.   
  
    The night passed on and six bottles of Bud' later, John had made it on stage accompanied by many cheers from the, now thoroughly drunk, patrons. He gave a warmly accepted rendition of 'New York' and was applauded off the stage. David admired the man's will power, as he had to turn down several women on his way back to the table. David turned back to Isla and tried to continue the conversation he had started sometime ago. As the alcohol had taken effect he had tried to question her on her feelings about him. She seemed distracted and either avoided his questions or didn't answer them.   
  
    It confused the hell out of him because she had always listened in the past and been concerned when he was unhappy. As the evening had worn on it should have been obvious even to a bystander that David was crumbling, let alone his girlfriend of two years. She was shutting him out completely, only responding to the most frivolous of comments. Even John was staring to get pissed off at her attitude. Surely she must see how much she was hurting him? So it had been for most of the night. Now he was determined to get an answer out of her but when he turned back he was greeted by an empty seat. Isla and Mercury had both got up and were making their way to the stage. The whole of the bar roared with male approval as the two took up the microphones and the music started. John got back to the table in time to see David heading for the main door, teeth gritted. He was wondering about this when the chorus of the song started. 'Girls just wanna have fun.' John turned back towards the stage, his eyes narrowing. "Heartless bitch," he whispered.   
  
    David burst out into the cold night air and sucked in a lungful of the icy stuff, uncaring as it burned in his protesting lungs. It was as if physical pain meant nothing anymore. He was literally being torn apart from the inside and as the all too familiar tears came again he ducked into the unused side alley next to the bar. He wondered why he was bothering; it wasn't as if he had any dignity left. As he slumped against the wall and embraced the pain he felt as if he were dying. Yet that would be too easy, that would provide a release from the pain. David reached into his coat and pulled out one of the two golden Desert Eagles. Their original owner had meant the bullets to hit and kill him. Why deny them their destiny? He tried to think back to anatomy classes. Which was the best place to shoot yourself again?   
  
    "Holy shit, that guy's got a gun!"   
  
    David fumbled the weapon back into its holster at his chest and ducked back further, waiting for the people to pass. After a few murmurings they did so. It began to rain. David was glad of this because as the rainwater mingled with the tears on his cheeks he heard John's voice calling for him at the front of the bar. He walked round, trying to compose himself yet again. "You okay man?" asked a concerned John. "Y-yeah," said David, shaking his head, "yeah I'll be fine."   
  
    "Yeah right." John sighed. "Listen, Mercury just told me she was going off to feed."   
  
    "So?"   
  
    "Isla went with her."   
  
    David looked up. "What the hell?" he whispered, "She-she feeds on me, only on me. What the hell is she doing?"   
  
    John shrugged.   
  
    "Where did they go?" asked an increasingly agitated David.   
  
    John pointed up the street and David focused on the two female forms heading toward the park. "Let's follow them," he said nodding.   
  
    "Yeah," agreed John, his eyes narrowing. "I wanna see what they're up to too."   
  
    They kept their distance and neither of the girls seemed to notice them as they ducked into the dark cover provided by the park's trees. They saw them just as they approached a middle-aged man. David couldn't hear what they were saying but it looked as though they had asked him for the time. Without warning Mercury went for the man's neck and, after a few seconds of struggling, he began to fall limp in her arms. John spat a curse and started to walk forward. David held his hand out and John stopped. They both watched as Mercury passed the dizzy and disoriented man to Isla who took him in her arms and began to feed. David wanted to look away but he could not. He could only stare, his soul being flayed with every second. He watched her gulping away the man's life, her animal hunger now being satiated by the blood of an innocent, whose only crime was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Isla let the man go as a child might drop a tiresome plaything and he fell, clearly dead, onto the path. She licked away the last morsels of blood from her lips.   
  
    David fell to his knees, still staring. John cursed again and strode out onto the path, cutting off the vampires' route back. A little way up the track they both noticed him and stopped. Mercury smirked but Isla looked concerned. Each footstep ringing out vengeance on the concrete path, John stalked towards them, his massive shoulders heaving with anger. He spoke not a word to either of them but walked past to the body of the man and scooped it into his arms. He turned and carried it past them, still impassively silent. David tried to keep purchase on the tree next to him and turned so he could grasp it with both hands. It was then that he realised with horror that this was the tree. The tree under which Isla and he had shared their first kiss. His mind shattered into a thousand pieces. It no longer registered the needs of his body and he fell head long into the welling filth. He didn't feel the cold slap of the mud, nor did he feel the incessant patter of the rain on his back. His eyes stared, empty and soulless, into nothing.   
  
    John didn't really know where he was going. He was the servant of the boiling anger inside him and that told him to walk. He strode through the dark streets, wondering what he was doing. Here he was, a corpse drained of blood hanging limp in his arms, wandering the streets. If he had been thinking strait he would have been praying that no cop cars would drive past. As he was, he didn't care and strode onward. After a while he noticed he was outside a church. He'd made no conscious decision to be there, yet here he was, the rain pouring down around him. Without knowing exactly why he climbed the steps to the church and entered. He tried to ignore the fact that nobody seemed to be in the church. He also tried to ignore the weird sense of peace that descended over him as he laid the body on the altar and left. His mind thought back to something David had said before Isla had gone missing: "We are heaven's chosen." John didn't really go in for religion but as he left the church and went to find his friend, he began to wonder if there was something in it after all. He wondered where that part of David had gone, the solid and unshakeable part. The part that was cool and analytical yet still found truth in such sweeping statements. What was happening to him now, was slowly eating away at his good qualities. John hoped it wasn't too late to save him.   
  
    He found David face down in the mud and hauled him onto his shoulder, cussing and swearing as he did so. "C'mon man," sighed John as they stumbled out of the park. "I think we'd better take the bus home." As they walked David began to get his senses back and by the time they reached the bus stop he was walking on his own again. Not a word passed between the two and they silently boarded the late night bus. David wondered up the spiral staircase of the decrepit double decker and John followed, shaking his head.   
  
    The only other occupants of the bus were a group of street punks at the far end of the upper level. Their garb and hairstyles marked them out as one of the fairly inconsequential gangs that haunted the less savoury areas of the city. David ignored them and sat. John did likewise. After a short time the punks started to take an interest in the two silent men. One of them, clearly drunk and high on all manner of substances started making faces at David, mocking his clearly depressed outlook. John looked at David who remained passive. The insults continued. Verbal abuse began to fly. Finally, one of the punks staggered to his feet and walked right up to David. "Hey," he drawled. "I'm talkin' to ya' m'fucker!" John was about to tell the stoned guy to leave it when David, his eyes suddenly boiling with animal hatred, stood and whipped out one of his Desert Eagles. He levelled it at the punk's head. "SHIT!" screamed the punk. The bus driver had obviously spotted the weapon through his mirror because the bus ground to an abrupt halt.   
  
    The punks hurtled down the staircase and out of the open double doors swearing as they did so. David silently put his gun back in it holster. The bus remained stationary. David began to laugh and as John took his shoulder and ushered him out of the bus he had to stifle a shudder as he listened to that laugh. There was no humour in it, no soul. It was the laugh of a man gone insane.   



End file.
